The latest report from the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP), “Labour Market, Education, Skills – January 2024,” reveals dynamic changes in the Polish labor market. The data suggest that nearly 60% of respondents express concerns related to job automation by artificial intelligence. This is just one of many conclusions that shed light on the growing importance of digital skills and the need to adapt to new technologies. The report emphatically highlights that the future of work’s key element is employees’ ability to effectively use the possibilities offered by AI.
The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Recruitment
Artificial intelligence is becoming an essential support in recruitment processes, significantly increasing efficiency and objectivity in candidate selection. The study “New Recruitment Laws,” conducted in September 2023 by ARC Rynek and Opinia on behalf of Pracuj.pl, presents aspects of the impact of artificial intelligence on HR. The PARP report highlighted the key conclusions.
– 22% of Poles fear the increasing importance of AI and automation in their job, and 36% fear that AI may reduce the number of available job positions in the future. These figures indicate the perception of AI as a potential threat to employment security.
– Only 13% of respondents have so far used AI-based tools at work, suggesting that the broad implementation of AI in the Polish labor market is still in its early stages.
– One in four respondents believes that artificial intelligence will free up time for more ambitious tasks, suggesting positive expectations regarding the impact of AI on job quality.
– 51% of respondents would react positively to AI recommendations presenting the most suitable job offers.
– 27% declare a negative attitude towards the preliminary selection of CVs sent by candidates by AI (without human intervention), highlighting existing fears about fully automating recruitment processes.
– ¾ of Poles rate their digital competencies positively in the context of work, and 6 in 10 believe that if they do not acquire new digital skills, it will be increasingly difficult for them to find new work or maintain their position. Half of the respondents believe that high digital competencies are their advantage when looking for a job, while 2 in 10 see a challenge in recruitment due to limited knowledge of technology.
5 HR Trends to Watch in 2024
In the latest edition of PARP’s January report “Labor Market, Education, Skills”, market trends in human resources management in 2024 paint a picture of significant transformations waiting for enterprises. Analyzing SD Worx data, the PARP report identified five key directions that will shape the future of work. The first is the blurring of professional roles due to talent shortages and the need to expand employee tasks. The second trend is the increasing importance of employee wellbeing. The rise in the use of artificial intelligence is the third point growing in importance in HR. Striving to achieve harmony between employees and technology is another aspect, especially given that according to SD Worx research, four in ten employees in international companies struggle to keep up with digital applications. The last, fifth trend, is adopting a “systemic HR” approach, where HR teams are actively engaged in almost every aspect of the company’s operations, placing particular emphasis on attracting and retaining the right talents.
These forecasts will undoubtedly have a significant impact on HR strategies in 2024, requiring companies to be flexible and adapt to new realities.
Stability in the Labor Market
Minor fluctuations in unemployment rates indicate labor market stability but also highlight local and industry disparities.
In December 2023, the unemployment rate in Poland stood at 5.1%, an increase of 0.1 percentage point compared to November 2023, and a decrease of 0.1 percentage point compared to December 2022.
At the same time, employment in the enterprise sector in December 2023 was 6,495.3 thousand and was lower by 9.4 thousand than in December 2022.
The average monthly gross wage in the enterprise sector in December 2023 was PLN 8,032.96, increasing by 4.7% compared to November 2023 and by 9.6% year on year.
The unemployment rate in the EU-27 in December 2023 was 5.9%, unchanged compared to November but was lower by 0.2 percentage point year on year.
The Casual Work Index for the first quarter of 2024 indicates that 22% of Poles are considering looking for casual work, mainly due to rising living costs.
“Labour Market, Education, Skills. Current Trends and Research Results (January 2024)” is a PARP report prepared as part of the non-competitive FERS project entitled “Infobrokerage Service for the Implementation of the Sectoral Councils for Competencies Development and Improvement Project”.
